BVCA reveals the best North West companies of 2017

The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) has announced the winners of the North West Management Team Awards, its annual celebration of UK companies supported by private equity and venture capital funds, produced in association with business advisers Grant Thornton UK.

Now in their ninth year, the BVCA Management Team Awards showcase businesses across the country that have shown outstanding performance over the past 12 months.

The North West winners were announced and presented with their prizes as part of the annual North West Dinner, held at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate last night (Thursday, September 14).

All the winners will now go into the national final to compete against other business from around the UK, with the national winners revealed at the BVCA Gala Dinner on 30 November in London.

The full list of winners for the North West Management Team Awards 2017 is as follows:
Large Company Management Team – Travel Counsellors, backed by Equistone Partners Europe; Mid-Market Management Team – Utiligroup, backed by North Edge Capital; Venture-backed Management Team – Elucigene Diagnostics, backed by Percipient Capital; Growth Management Team – The Alchemist Bars and Restaurants, backed by Palatine Private Equity; Bunsiness Transformation Management Team – Excelsior Technologies, backed by Enact (Endless LL).

Steve O’Hare, chair of the North West judging panel and senior partner at Equistone Partners Europe, said: “The North West is renowned as a hotbed for UK business and innovation, and the winners of the BVCA North West Management Team awards are all perfect illustrations of the dynamic and vibrant community we have here. Congratulations to all of them and the best of luck in the national final.”

Philip Grindley, transaction services partner in Grant Thornton’s North West advisory team, said: “Delivering the change and growth opportunities private equity investors identify is no mean feat, requiring enormous skill in strategy, operations and delivery and it’s really important to recognise the success of these outstanding management teams.

“All have helped drive the growth of their businesses and have therefore added significant value in terms of jobs and investment to the North West economy.”